The Past from Above

Through the lens of Georg Gerster

16 November 2006 – 11 February 2007

Room 35

Admission £5

Supported by the Corporate Partners
of the British Museum

The first major photographic exhibition at the British Museum
presents extraordinary aerial photographs of archaeological and
heritage sites from across the globe taken by the Swiss
photographer Georg Gerster. These awe-inspiring images range from
natural phenomena such as Uluru in Australia to man-made wonders
such as the Ziggurat of Ur in Iraq or the Great Wall of China and
will allow visitors to take a ‘world tour’ of the great
monuments of human civilisation.

These unique images create a sense of wonder at the scale and
magnificence of mankind’s achievements as well as highlighting the
complex relationship between culture and nature. Humans have shaped
nature but are also shaped by it. The photographs provoke questions
about the people who created these monuments, why they created
them, and what they meant to them. To provide insights into these
people, the exhibition will also feature objects from the Museum’s
worldwide collection which will be displayed alongside some of the
photographs. This will present a snapshot of these civilizations
and the monuments which defined them. A stone hand-axe, one of the
earliest objects made by humans from the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania,
will be displayed alongside a photograph of the site, a Mummy
portrait by an image of the Kharga Oasis and a seated Buddhist
goddess next to a shot of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. The objects
will personalise these imposing sites, re-emphasising the part
humans have played in their construction or, in some cases,
destruction.

The photographs also serve as reminders of the transience of
culture and civilizations. In many instances the photographs are a
reminder of times that have passed, beliefs which have faded and
empires which have crumbled. Aerial photography is vital in
preserving views of sites which have subsequently been damaged or
lost. Environmental destruction, excavation, the removal of
material for other purposes and reconstruction work have all had a
profound impact on these sites. The photographs highlight the
environmental impact the modern world has on its heritage. For
example, it is likely that sites in Iraq have sustained
considerable damage as a result of bombardment and looting, the
aerial photographs of sites from that region in the exhibition may
now be an essential record of these buildings and monuments prior
to the conflict.

Georg Gerster

Georg Gerster was born in Switzerland in 1928 and has been
taking aerial photographs for over forty years. His first
archaeological photographic flight in

1963 documented temples, pyramids and fortresses in ancient
Nubia, modern Sudan. Since then he has photographed sites in over
one hundred countries across six continents. Produced in often
hair-raising circumstances, the photographs have contributed
greatly to our understanding of world archaeology. They are also
aesthetically fascinating views of our diverse and complex
world.

Notes to Editors

A book, THE PAST FROM ABOVE, edited by Charlotte Trumpler with
photographs by Georg Gerster is published in paperback by Frances
Lincoln priced at £25.00. In the book archaeologist Charlotte
Trumpler introduces 250 of Gerster’s photographs, taken in more
than fifty countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia,
Australia, and Africa. Each is accompanied by a detailed
explanatory description. For a copy of the book please contact Emma
O'Bryen on 020 7619 0098 or eobr@blueyonder.co.uk

Admission to the exhibition costs £5, a range of concessionary
rates apply. British Museum Members enjoy unlimited free entry to
all Museum exhibitions and a range of other benefits. For more
information call 020 7323 8195 or visit
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/friends

A full public programme of activity will accompany the
exhibition. Lectures, workshops, films, talks and other events will
expand on and develop some of the themes of the exhibition. For a
complete programme please contact the press office.